Dr. Jo Ann Rooney is an American educator, lawyer, businesswoman and public servant driven by seeing the achievements of students and the impact education has on their lives and their families.
Her original plans in college to become a physician changed to study finance and law. This change opened doors that led Rooney to become the ninth president of Spalding University, a private, Catholic, doctoral–level university in Louisville, Ky. Her inauguration was held on September 27, 2003. Rooney is credited with turning around an institution facing severe financial challenges, stabilizing the university, and eliminating its debt. In 2006, she was named Most Admired Woman in Education by Today’s Woman magazine.
An avid athlete, Rooney grew up as a typical tomboy in Pennsylvania, enjoying such sports as baseball, softball, swimming, and rowing. She still enjoys sailing and athletics very much and trains year round for regional events and rowing competitions.